Vashti Schulz 2/2/20 Vashti Schulz 2/2/20

Now is the PERFECT Time ...

It is February!

Where did January go!? ARGH!

I have blinked and am suddenly fully into this new year of 2020…. a year which is going to prove to be a big one globally and locally. A lot of political global and local action that we are all aware of, viruses now declared a global crisis, locally fires are a big issue, and oh my goodness, I put on weight whilst on holiday!

Which one is bothering me the most? (This is where you can picture me hiding my head in shame)

Let me reassure you, my lovely reader (and thank you so much for that), that I am very aware it is a first-world problem, and a pretty good one to have. So I am lucky.

Now back to my soft round body.

A complete result of being out of my comfortable routines and habits. I’ve slipped out of these healthy habits for 4 weeks, I’m feeing it and I need to get back on track. Easily said, not easily done, not without some plans anyway. Thank goodness we are still close enough to our new year to feel that now is a wonderful time to make a few little changes. Whether it is your body, your health, your mind, your spirit, I’m sure that there is something in your life that is less than perfect AND completely in your ability to change. Write a list.

First 2 columns:

What you want In your Life
What you don’t want in your life

Have a look at those 2 columns.

Do any of the things listed marry up and reflect the other?

Mine sure did.

I was listening to the wonderful Terry Gilliam the other day and he stated that he started off years ago working out what he didn’t want before he worked out what he did want, and this really got me thinking. I’m not sure about you but ideally, I would like to grow and better myself every year and I KNOW, this will NEVER happen if I don’t make plans and stick to them. The trick is to make them short, quantifiable and easy, easy, easy!

Are you worth this self-centred approach?

Absolutely!

Just imagine yourself really happy. You are really happy and walking down the street near you and you are feeling successful, you are feeling a deep inner happiness and confidence that you are terrific and valuable to others. People pass you and smile because they can see the light in your eyes and sense the happy energy that surrounds you. That energy naturally ‘gives’ to others. They smile and they feel better and maybe even pass that on…who knows…. Feel this as you picture this. Happy, successful, valuable. You are useful to others and loved by others. You know some people can’t see this though and they are the ones that might growl at you or be unhappy ‘with’ you. That’s ok, when you walk past them you feel fine and smile anyway because they really need the extra support, and off you continue.

Wonderful feeling isn’t it.

Is a better version of yourself, more intelligent, multilingual, has a great body?

What is a couple of traits this person has? Write them down. I bet they have something to do with what you want and are the opposite of what you don’t want.

Now some actions. Write down one or more things (no matter how unrealistic), that you can do to begin to open yourself to be that person. If it’s intelligence you may want to do a course, read more books, etc. Just free think. You are not beholden to any action. The next steps are really picking an action and breaking it down into easy to do bits. Say learning a language. What if I learned one new word a day….that sounds so easy and so simple and so doable. One word a day, 365 days in a year. This time next year I could know 365 words in Spanish! Think about that. How amazing that would be. You would be you, but a you with 365 words that you know very well. That’s just in one year. The mind boggles to think how your world could look if you did this for the rest of your life. What a truly incredible person you would be and you would have so much more to offer the people in your world.

Wow

With my Active Owls groups, we pick something to do every day of the month. Last year we did x amount of squats daily, another we stretched our hamstrings daily, and the results were great. This month we are enjoying a simple pushup challenge (any variety) to start the year off. We mark off this sheet each time we do this and compare results at the end. Feel free to download this sheet and join in with us :-)

So what do you think? What do you think you will do? I have started small with a walk around the block every morning, not negotiable. I can run it, make it longer, but I have to at least walk it. It is not long as I know what I am like at the moment, lazy! So I keep it reasonable and will add on to it in a few weeks. I like to work this way with clients too. I even thought of getting a coach just to provide me a kick start and make me more accountable. Coaches and fitness challenges are a great way to start this, AND they can all be done online these days. The gym I am in has a terrific 8 week challenge starting soon. Check it out if fitness is your goal and you need some motivation.

So it can be anything. The sky’s the limit!

What COULD you do?

What WILL you do?

…….. I’d love to know :-)

Vashti Schulz 18/1/19 Vashti Schulz 18/1/19

Do you want a MIRACULOUS morning?

I heard the term ‘morning miracle’ first used by an author named Hal Elrod. This young man had a nasty accident in his early 20’s and through a lot of perseverance and positivity and support was able to go from not being able to move and given a fairly dismal future diagnosis, to moving and fully functioning fairly quickly. My details won’t be exact, as it is several years since I have heard about this man, but what he achieved against the odds and in short time is astounding. He was inspired to create a concept he dubbed the ‘6 minute morning miracle’, it was his way of making sure that every morning he started the day with meaningful actions designed to get him stepping toward goals.

This concept in itself is nothing new. I’m sure you have heard of doing regular small things that end up being a big thing such as a new skill or productive habit, new business, better relationships etc. What I appreciated about Hal is that he appealed to my lazy yet structured brain with this one minute concept.

The idea is to allot 1 or 2 mins to 3- 6 things. For example, as soon as you wake up you could:

Meditate
Write in a gratitude journal
Squats
Pushups
Write a to do list
Stretch

1 minute each and in 6 minutes you are done. It’s not a lot of time but I’m sure you can see by the end of it you would feel like you have started your day off brilliantly. Mentally inspired, physically ready to go and emotionally settled.

It’s the concept of this that I appreciate. It’s a great way to start new habits but not feel overwhelmed when you really have little to no motivation at times.

We all could do exercise for one minute even when feeling like its the last thing on earth you would like to be doing.

Just Do it.

Try it right now, lets just do something for 3 tiny little minutes.

Put your timer on. Make it easy and start with 3 big impact things.

First 60 seconds,

Exercise. Squats, star jumps, pushups...a combination of the above, or simply stretch, 30 secs per side in a lunge or waist or hamstring stretch.

Next 60,

Paper and pencil and write. Write things and people you are grateful for. Go!

And the final 60 seconds,

Close your eyes. Breathe and listen for a while and sounds around you. Then bring the focus to the breath passing in and out of your nose. then follow that breath to feeling inside your head, all around and gradually make your way down your spine to your.... oops! Times up.

Now, how do you feel?

Imagine starting everyday like this

.... imagine finding every day like this .... theres no limit or restriction. We are all individual. Where could this idea most benefit you?

Individualise this

Again, theres no real rules and restrictions ..... this is just a cool flexible way of adding good quality routines and beneficial habits into your life. So think what you really need to address ..... is it more activity? Is it calmness? Is it learning a skill? Is it just to be happier?

If you are not sure, or need a bit of help, a good coach is the perfect person to go to. Someone like myself who is positive, open and individualised will help you set the goals and methods that best fit your life. They can either hold your hand for a few weeks/ months/ years.... or leave you to it... what ever you need.

Lets do it

Write a free list of things you would like to add into your life to enrich your world. Don’t analyse, just write.

When you are done pick the top 6. Then pick the top 3.

Start with 3 things at one minute each. It sounds tiny, but just do it at least once....then you can either add a few others or make it 2 mins each. No over achieving here.... just for a few days. After say 5 days in a row have a think about increasing it or leaving it exactly as it is for now.

But what if I’m in the flow and don’t want to stop?

Say you are exercising first, then before meditating you have your gratitude list minute to do and you are really getting into it. Just stop....its good discipline and if you kept going the odds are that you won’t do the meditation section no matter that you may tell yourself you will. Do the meditation. when that’s finished go straight back to your gratitude exercise.

It sounds easy and it should be, but what can derail you is if you want to add ‘exercise’ but then come unstuck about the best one to choose as you only have one or 2 minutes for it....thats where a friend or coach can help.

Say you want to learn a language and think how on earth in that short time can I make it count? Or you don’t like meditating but know its ‘good for you’ so you want to add it to your life.

Let me give you some more examples:

First is exercising :

You may have a fatburning goal and want to make your bottom a nice shape. Aobviously you will not be able to accomplish fatburning in your time, BUT you can increase your blood flow and energy to be ready to put in later. So 30 seconds of either vigorous squat jumping or squatting and 30 seconds of bottom squeezes would be a great start. thats for a one minute interval.

Second, a language:

Pick out one or two new words at the most and write them out over and over and then look at them and say them out loud. Voila!

Third, for the reluctant meditators:

Do a forward fold and hang or lie on your back with your legs up on the wall and allow them to sink to the sides. Now breathe and hold. As you breathe, think about the muscles you feel stretching, note your desire to get out of that stretch and breathe through that.... one minute is up before you know it and your body is echoing a big THANK YOU!

There are endless options.

Think about the last year you have had...

did you grow or change? Are you sitting here feeling you are in the same or similar spot?

Imagine if you did some little habit everyday for the next year ..... the difference it would make to you as a person.

Pretty significant huh!?!

It’s easy, but most of the time we don’t do this. Any steps you make will benefit and change you. Start today, don’t make excuses. If you need help, let me know. If you start doing it yourself, let me know too! I want to hear :-)

Make 2019 YOUR year.

Love, Vash x

References

Sample morning routines from super achievers:

Vashti Schulz 2/11/18 Vashti Schulz 2/11/18

Spotlight: Interview with Remarkable Ruth, 60

Ruth has just celebrated her 60th birthday. When I met her a few years a go I was amazed with her energy and positivity (and beauty!). She works more than full-time, as a high-level manager with an international company and has become the happiest of grandparents with her daughter's gorgeous 14 month old son. When Ruth came to the gym those years ago, she came with motivation to feel good and perform stronger at work as well as regaining some of her youthful body back. Since then she hasn’t seemed to look back and has been consistent with her workouts despite ebbs and flows in life. Now that she has added a low sugar diet to her routine, her body and radiance has bloomed further. The best part is that she has been maintaining this for many months with seeming ease!

Describe your current exercise pattern

I exercise 5 days a week, early in the morning. Normally at the gym by 6am for an hour to an hour and a half.

I have a personal training session once a week to keep pushing me to the next level.

How long have you been doing it like that for?

I used to visit the gym daily in my thirties, and then stopped going. I have been dedicated to this programme for at least the last three years religiously.

What are the main reasons you have this exercise pattern?

I have a very busy job and a hectic schedule, fast pace and under constant stress. If I didn’t get up early and make the time to exercise in the morning, I wouldn’t do it.

Whenever I have left my visit until post work, I get home and then think … can’t be bothered. Going early, before work also sets me up for the day, clears my mind and makes me feel full focused and full of energy.

I can hammer myself and get rid of any stress and agro that has built up and take it all out on the gym equipment.

I also want to be able to enjoy my grandchild and future grandchildren, be mobile, active and agile.

What impact has this had on your life and lifestyle?

I feel far more energetic, I am much fitter and stronger than pre gym. I have lost weight, gained muscle mass and look and feel so much better.

I actually look at photos of myself 3 years ago and think who is that stranger in the photos.

Do you have any other goals exercise/ fitness wise?

Yes, to bench press my years in weight and continue to build muscle mass. I never get on the scales, I judge my weight loss and shape change by my clothes.

Note: Ruth has reached an amazing 55 kg press so far!

I want to continue to change my shape and look fit and strong going into my 6o+ years and make it a habit for life.

If you had to stop exercising for a month, how would you feel?

I couldn’t do it. Just a few days away from the gym makes me feel sluggish and slow. I am addicted to the high I get from exercising and feeling powerful.

How do you motivate yourself for exercise and healthily eating? Any tips?

“I love music and have a great playlist that has specific songs linked to my programme that I look forward to listening to. I am motivated by the changes I am now seeing in my body.”

It’s my time, I can put in my earphones, and disappear for an hour into another world.

I am competitive by nature and also enjoy reaching goals that I have set for myself.

The changes I have seen since participating in the 6 week challenge and from ongoing exercise has been both motivating and rewarding and the comments received from people when they now see me also spurs me on to continue with my disciplines .

Whats your diet like? Have you always eaten this way?

My diet is much better since participating in the 6 week challenge (with FitnessLife Studios).

I was a carb-a-holic pre the challenge. I have dropped the sugar, decreased the glasses of wine and really curbed the carbs. I lost 6 kilos in 6 weeks, and after keeping on the programme, another 3 kilos.

What is your ‘go to’ healthy meal? A favourite that gets you by

My favourite and must have meal is breakfast. Its a simple omelette made with two eggs. Inside I put mushroom, spinach and little sliced chilli ( seeds out). If I have it for tea I add tuna to it.

If you could tell your 40 year old self anything, what would it be?

I would tell my 40 year old self to be more disciplined in my eating habits, to keep up a good fitness programme, that you can continue to look great at any age and that

“... if she (40 year old self) saw me working out so physically at 60 she wouldn’t believe it xx”

Thank you so much for sharing Ruth.

My takeaways from Ruth is:

To consistently exercise.
Get it out the way first thing in the morning.
Eat a predominantly low sugar diet, and aim high in fitness goals and life quality.
Face the world positively and be empowered take charge of your own health, that you really can make fantastic changes.

Vashti Schulz 10/10/18 Vashti Schulz 10/10/18

Don't Let Eating Out Derail Your health

In the culture we live in now, it is becoming more and more common to dine out, lunches at cafes, dinner at a restaurant. In Adelaide we are completely spoilt for choice, value for money and food styles and I know this is becoming more and more the norm world-wide. When you travel you also tend to eat out, well, all the time really, don’t you? Unless you make a large effort to go to a supermarket and bring food back to your room.

So how do we do this and still maintain a level of health?

useful-and-useless-food-question-for-choosing-vector-8310359.jpg

There is no doubt that eating out will put on the pounds and not in a good way. Most restaurants will use vegetable oils, cheap butter and even if they advertise olive oil…most are low grade. None of these fats are good for your body. They contribute higher levels of triglycerides leading to clogged arteries, diabetes and heart disease amongst other things….yet, damn it…we want to eat out!

Like all healthy lifestyle factors, it comes down to choice.

Your choice.

You have the power to eat out, enjoy the company and not gain the pounds. You just need a little bit of knowledge, a little bit of guidance and all the pressure is off.

In a perfect world …..

……… we would all be able to go to a restaurant, order one glass of quality red wine. Ignore the bread. Order a large serve of vegetables or salad and get a serving of protein to join that. All with only quality extra virgin olive oil as a sauce. OR as apparently the French do, go out and order, but eat only a tiny portion of the meal.

BUT… it’s not ALWAYS that easy …

If you can do the above…wonderful, you are fantastic and you don’t need to read further. However, if like me, you are a little less self controlled…well, come this way …. lets real world this …..

Being able to comfortably and easily order healthily when out can’t be forced and rushed…else you are plunged in denial and a binge will come sooner or later….thats a for sure win bet.

Lets make it all painless. Its just like adjusting to a new diet, which really shouldn’t be a diet but a way of eating for life. A new way of eating is best done in stages else you really will rebound straight back and probably past your previous weight.

First - we take this is stages.

This is how I would coach you to do the dinning out (contact me if you would like help with this. Being accountable to someone is really useful)

Play imagine if …

At first, just read the menu and pick out exactly what you would order, if you were picking a meal that looked like the suggested one above. Don’t order it, order what you want, just make sure you have picked what you would if you were right into this. You’ll be surprised that this is actually fine and doesn’t make you feel guilty or anything.

Do this each dining out visit till you are ready to move forward. NO RUSH.

Pretend …

… do exactly as before but this time imagine the plate in front of you and imagine you eating it and jump your mind ahead to how you will feel when you get home tonight. How you feel mentally and physically from having a vegetable based meal that doesn’t require some supersonic digestion. Remember too, that because you did what you set out to do you will get a serotonin dump of happiness because you achieved what you set out to do. (Make sure it only takes a minute of your time at the most)

Then order as you normally would like to. Do this for at least 5-10 dining out visits. Make a list and tick off the times you do this.

Get Veged up!

Now this time you will order as normal BUT with an extra large bowl of vegetables. Eat as many or little as you can. All are ticks on your list….. again 5 -10 visits

Next Habit …

Order as last time but try to just eat the meat and vegetables and skip the white starches. Bread, rice white potatoes and pasta.

Now try to do the above without the sugary or calorific sauces. If you feel brave, order yours without any sauce or oil and bring your own organic olive oil. Organic, unheated olive oil has so many health benefits.

TIPS

Definitely go through each stage at least 5 times each or more if you don’t feel its really easy to do. Take your time to go through each stage (days, weeks, months)…it doesn’t matter, it only matters that you do it most of the time (ie, 95% of the time you eat out, else you are not forming a permanent habit). Move on ONLY when you are positive you actually WANT to and not that you feel you MUST or SHOULD move forward. This is about your HEALTH, not aesthetics (always remember you look your best, your glowing best, when you are healthy)

IMPORTANT:

One of the biggest stumbling blocks to this is the embarrassment or peer pressure of ordering a little differently around friends/ family, even to the waiter/ess. So just say you’ve been having some stomach issues/ pain/ allergies when you eat certain foods, and you are avoiding it for now. Everyone understands that. Friends and family want whats best for you but they generally don’t realise that ‘just this once’ isn’t the most supportive phrase to a healthy body. If they think it will cause you pain or discomfort, no one will press you further.

Finally -

Make the commitment now

Choose a better meal. There are so many temptations…sooo many…and they taste wonderful….however, is that really worth the aches, pains, inflammation, chronic disease? I sound alarmist, but thats exactly what is being invited in. Its easy to ignore because the change is so gradual and we can all get away with it for a while till suddenly we can’t.

So commit to yourself out of respect for your body. Choose healthier, start small. Your healthy body will thank you for it as you will FEEL fantastic ….

…… and enjoy many fun times out with friends for years to come.